Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Thanks Dave - I needed that(+ pink + dots hooray !)

That my friends 'tislesdilemma in a nut shell.

I've gone from oh my whatever will I do with my time ? (now that Number 1 freelance product design customer retired June 2010 & all my work fizzled said she who had all her eggs in one basket ? ya huh ! I did to oh my whatever should I do next so that I can keep on top of all these great opportunities plus keep working toward all those big, huge dreams & goals I have ? bit by bit, small step by small step all the while enjoying myself, remembering to breath ... but it is true I can't do everything. Darn. Something's ... gotta give.

I don't know what yet 'cause truthfully I'm still uncovering & discovering what it is I want to do. What is the thing(s) that really sets my heart a fire (that I could make a good living at) whispered by the chorus of angels. My heart is a blaze most of the time lately & it's not that I'm spending any time doing anything that I absolutely do not like doing (how lucky is that ?) but I feel there are areas of my creative abilities that have been barely tapped into because of a lack of focused, unfettered time & energy. Just having this conversation now & here makes the fire in my belly roar. I consider the beginning of my new business - this true Creative Empire began June 2010 at best friend MLou's house - she suggested that I give it my all for a year & see if I could make a living by the end of that year. If not I'd need to rethink how I would pay the bills. We're nearing June 2012 & I'm happy to say I am (barely) making that living each month and the trend is up & forward & we're (MLou, Doug & I) all in agreement that following my dreams isthe way to go.

Monday, February 27, 2012

archives - early morning's way out on the point - so beautiful yet I never go there anymore

Thinking about walking those beaches, imagining walking in the place where so much of my heart lives still makes me feel weak. It's feels like if I walked there now, even with Winnie, I would somehow be erasing those piles of memories & love that live there, that could live on forever - it's weird I'll admit. Sometimes you just can't go back you must keep moving forwardmaking new memories in new places while cherishing all the old. I am forever grateful that those days, those walks, that lifeis documented so completely on this blog - my accidental net of memory & love. of life.

Sometime over the past weekend I know I told myself

You can do anything ! Anything you want to.So dream big, aim big ... big as can be.

I still believe it's true, though I'm not in that same confident state of mind this morning. Hence the rambling. I do know it is true. I know I tell myself that I can't do lots of things, that I'm not good at lots of things. But it's not true. There are things I don't like or want to do that's different.

I have some very big goals this year. big, bigI promise to share them soon

Friday, February 24, 2012

I've been wanting to document my collage illustration process for ages & recently as I was creating the website banner illustration for Erika at Little Bird Night Owl I remembered to take photos along the way. I plan out the steps quite meticulously & methodically in my head first (figuring out all the layers & choosing the various techniques and mediums) and because of all this forethought an illustration like this once finished is almost exactly like the picture both Erika & I created in our heads. hooray !

I LOVE doing custom freelance work of any kind so please contact me if you'd like me to make something for you. I have reasonable rates, flexible payment plans, & even pro-bono for non-profits & good causes (animal rescue organizations especially welcome). If you have questions about prices, time lines &/or the process please ask me in the comments or email me.

Erika bought one of my Lil' Owl calendars I sell my things at Freedom Clothing Collective in Toronto. She loved my owls & contacted me though my portfolio site (clearly indicated on every page of that calendar - marketing, marketing) & asked me if I'd like to design her banner thinking my style would be a good fit for her vision - a very fun project - thanks Erika !!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

more scenes from an east coast FebruaryKelly Rae Roberts* on anxiety - I relate - my big issue is worrying that I'm forgettingsomething I feel I'm moving at a pace that's way faster than the manufacturer's suggested speedway faster !

* as far as a creative empire mentor I can't think of a better person - I love how she's documented the highlights & the lows of her creative journey - very encouraging, tres inspiring

oh and a cat after thought - hair - hair of the feline persuasion. I get such a kick from etsy sellers who have boldly stated in their policy section - comes from a smoke & pet free home. I get the smoke free, nothing erks me more than trying to sign out an ashtray smelly book from the library & ending up leaving it behind because I couldn't bear to read it - all cigarett-ey. But pet free ?!? if you have any issues with petness please do not order from the Black Street etsy shop 'cause I can guarantee at least 3 cat hairs with every order (my choice) & look out if I happen to be wielding les packing tape gun when the daily parkour trials are happenin'.Hairy ? Oui ! Oui !!